title: The therapeutic management of chronic pain in ambulatory care patients aged 65 and over in France: the S.AGES Cohort. Baseline data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of the S.AGES (Elderly Subjects) cohort study is to describe the current therapeutic strategy for chronic pain in non-institutionalised elderly patients in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective cohort study, non-institutionalised patients aged 65 years and over with chronic pain were recruited by general practitioners (GP) across France. All medicinal and non- medicinal prescriptions were recorded at inclusion and will be followed up over 3 years via an eCRF. Data recorded at baseline are presented in this paper.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and sixty GPs enrolled 1379 evaluable patients between June 3rd, 2009 and June 3rd, 2011. Pain was mainly of a mechanical nature, due to osteoarthritis or common back pain. 80% of the patients had moderate or severe pain. More than a third of patients were treated with a step 1 analgesic (mainly paracetamol), and approximately 30% received a step 2 analgesic (23% dextropropoxyphene and 40.3% tramadol/paracetamol combination). Only 3% received step 3 analgesics; this rate remained low even in patients with severe pain. The proportion of patients treated with an antiepileptic was higher in case of neuropathic pain. More than 25% of patients did not receive any analgesic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The baseline S.AGES study results exhibit a well-balanced therapeutic management of chronic pain by GPs for ambulatory elderly patients. Clinicaltrials.org NCT01065909.
authors.affiliation: Ph. Bertin, Rheumatology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dupuytren, 2 avenue M-L-King, 87042 LIMOGES Cédex France, Email: Philippe.Bertin@chu-limoges.fr, Tel: 00 33 5 55 05 68 71, Fax: 00 33 5 55 05 68 89.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Becquemont
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corruble
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Derumeaux
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Falissard
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hanon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinget
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forette
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059408:Pain Management; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014147:Tramadol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000082:Acetaminophen; D014147:Tramadol; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene